


Troublemaker

by Silence_Speaker



Series: Troublemakers, Liars and Peas in a Pod [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anal Sex, F/M, M/M, Slash, mature themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-04
Updated: 2013-09-04
Packaged: 2017-12-25 15:33:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/954787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silence_Speaker/pseuds/Silence_Speaker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony didn't know who this green eyed stranger was but he did know he liked what he saw. The only trouble, the man had already left and Tony didn't have his number and JARVIS was unable to find out where he was staying. So Tony steeled himself, he wasn't going to meet the mesmerising man again and maybe it was better that way, Tony's thoughts on the man wouldn't tarnish in the actual meeting.</p><p>Until surprise, surprise he bumped into the green eyed man again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Troublemaker

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do have blonde hair but am too fat and short (and young) to be JKRowling :( unfortunately for me but fortunately for the people worldwide who adore Harry Potter. I wished I owned Avengers- I love the tricky characters and their complications.
> 
> Hope it’s alright.
> 
> I wrote it while listening to Troublemaker by Olly Murs, literally on repeat for hours...how sad. But it meant I finished it. I don’t like the ending, I can never wrap things up.
> 
> If you have a question feel free to ask, I will try to answer...promise.
> 
> Warning Slash pairing and bad writing up ahead! Hold onto your socks.

xxx

 

You're a troublemaker  
You're a troublemaker...  
You ain't nothing but a troublemaker, girl

You had me hooked again from the minute you sat down  
The way you bite your lip got my head spinnin' around  
After a drink or two I was putty in your hands  
I don't know if I'll have the strength to stand, oh oh oh...

Trouble troublemaker, yeah  
That's your middle name, oh oh oh...  
I know you're no good but you're stuck in my brain  
And I wanna know...

Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad, oh oh oh?  
My mind keeps saying,  
"Run as fast as you can"  
I say, "I'm done," but then you pull me back, oh oh oh...  
I swear you're giving me a heart attack  
Troublemaker!

It's like you're always there in the corners of my mind  
I see your silhouette every time I close my eyes  
There must be poison in those finger tips of yours  
'Cause I keep comin' back again for more, oh oh oh...

Trouble troublemaker, yeah  
That's your middle name, oh oh oh...  
I know you're no good but you're stuck in my brain  
And I wanna know...

Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad, oh oh oh?  
My mind keeps saying,  
"Run as fast as you can"  
I say, "I'm done," but then you pull me back, oh oh oh...  
I swear you're giving me a heart attack  
Troublemaker

 

xxx

 

Tony, being Tony Stark: self named billionaire, genius, playboy and philanthropist, did frequent bars often so it was not an unusual sight to see him at one of the snazzy bars sipping a highly alcoholic drink tapping away at his phone or watching the other inhabitants of the bar.

So on one of his examines of the room he couldn’t fail to notice a lithe figure cut across the room heading more or less to where Tony was sat. Tony shamelessly eyeballed the young man noting his aristocratic facial shape, messy black hair and enthralling slanted green eyes. The green eyed man, looking just into his early twenties stalked gracefully to a seat near Tony’s.

The man moved sensuously, edgily, like a predator all coiled muscles ready to tense in less than a split second. The crowd parted for the new comer almost instinctively, eyes following the figure nearly involuntarily. There was something about the man that drew the eyes, a near visible charisma, something more than the obvious charm from his extraordinary good looks.

As he drew closer to Tony, Tony briefly thought of the ozone and lightning, uncontrolled, unpredictable, fickle and mostly full of pure power.

The man had an almost crackling odd aura. It screamed dangerous. Tony leaned back casually in interest not relenting in his intense stare.

Green eyes slid into the bar stool with an economy of movement Tony would have said was impossible.

The man ordered a whiskey and immediately swallowed the entire glass of the burning liquid without a wince at the burn. Tony ran a tongue over his teeth and decided to do something he rarely indulged in, he decided to watch the man instead of going over to him right away, Tony was not, after all, famed for his patience.

Tony also drained his glass ordering another, his tally reaching six of the highly alcoholic shots, it was a good thing he could hold his liquor so well. Or maybe it showed the amount of time he spent in bars and drinking. Tony shrugged draining another, he didn’t care either way.

Tony watched as another bloke, average looking brown hair, blue eyes, approached the enigmatic figure sitting elegantly in the bar stool. Something about green eyes posture reminded Tony of Natasha Romanov. 

Another dangerous predator.

Tony watched amused as the brown haired man was constantly rebuffed for all his efforts with the green eyed man. The brown haired man however was getting more and more frustrated as his efforts continued to fail. It was when the brown haired man placed a hand on the green eyed ones shoulder that Tony tensed in an unnamable emotion, something a bit like trepidation...but that was silly because Tony never ever felt anything like trepidation.

Green eyes expression had blanked, gone was the slight irritation mingled with a tiny bit of amusement.

The brown haired mans grip tightened slightly not noticing the other mans expression and green eyes made his move. With speed that was unparalleled the green eyed man fluidly stood, kicked the brown haired mans legs from under him while simultaneously sticking his elbow into the nose of the man who had fallen from the painful kick to his knees.

Tony watched as green eyes, not looking even remotely ruffled at taking down a man that was more bulky than himself, unconcernedly walk around the man whimpering on the floor clutching his nose and ignoring the blood gushing, grabbing the browned haired mans drink and downing it throwing down some money on the bar before leaving disregarding the stares on his back.

Tony followed him out but by the time he had managed to get past the crowds, who didn’t part as instinctively for him as they did for green eyes, the messy haired man had disappeared.

Tony cursed.

He hadn’t even gotten the green eyed mans name. He didn’t know whether to feel relieved or irritated that he had chosen to watch the dramatics instead of trying for the man.

 

xxx

 

Tony wondered at his luck.

He had given the green eyed mans description to JARVIS but it was too vague, a picture would have been better but the CCTV at the bar sucked and the only picture with green eyes in was of his arm only and even then it was pixilated, much too little for a worldwide search. Tony didn’t even know if the man was from New York!

He had to give up on his search eventually when Pepper had dragged him away from searching after a near constant two weeks of just looking.

But here four weeks since he had seen green eyes in the bar, in a nondescript cafe, was green eyes himself. He was serving the customers with his odd gliding grace that was so enticing, almost dancing round the small cafe. Tony had only stopped here for a coffee before he had to attend another boring meeting.

Tony ordered his coffee from the other server annoyed he hadn’t spoken to green eyes yet.

Tony watched unabashedly as green eyes made one of the drinks ordered biting on his lip. Tony was almost surprised at the sudden flash of lust that flickered up his spine from that one small action. Tony eyed the indentations on green eyes lower lip with a hunger seldom felt, he had to get his name!

Tony hacked the CCTV camera from the cafe with his phone only to stare in confusion. Any picture with green eyes in was pixilated but only enough to blur green eyes features, not to completely destroy the picture. Now normally a pixilated image was nothing strange, however Tony had hacked all the photos and every one with green eyes in was distorted. It was impossible but the proof didn’t lie.

As Harry brought over his coffee, his third and the only one green eyes had personally brought him, Tony grinned his smarmy cocky grin. Green eyes raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

“What’s your name?” Tony asked obviously looking over green eyes appreciatively.

“Harry.” Green eyes responded placing down the coffee.

“A last name with that?” Tony asked picking up his coffee and blowing on it watching green eyes face all the while.

“Not today.” Harry said already drifting away to serve another customer. Tony ran a hand through his hair in slight frustration. At least he had a name and if he wasn’t mistaken Harry had an English accent.

Tony tracked Harry’s figure through the room with relish.

Annoyance clouded Tony’s face as one man slung an arm around Harry’s shoulder and pinched his bum. The same blankness covered Harry’s face as the time in the bar and Tony tensed in slight anticipation.

Startling both him and the man if his face was any indication Harry smiled sweetly and shrugged away twirling out of the mans grip. Tony felt an odd twist in his gut at the sweet smile but it changed to something else entirely when he spotted the teeth hidden in that grin. The man followed Harry to the counter after a sidelong glance sent his way from enchanting green eyes and Harry stepped behind it and grabbed a glass and the nozzle to fill it with a fizzy drink, the same used in bars.

Instead of filling the glass however Harry pointed the gushing nozzle right at the man.

Tony grinned.

Harry ignored the owner of the cafe’s shouts mixed with the outrage coming from the man with the sodden t-shirt and threw down his pad and pen onto the counter and left the cafe.

The owner of the cafe picked up the pad and read the words written on it before snorting and apologizing to the still angry man in the wet t-shirt. Tony strode over and picked up the paper smirking at the two words.

In a scrawling loopy script were the words ‘I Quit’.

Once again by the time Tony ended up outside Harry had disappeared.

“Dam!”

 

xxx

 

Tony had had little luck with finding Harry again but every time he caught a glimpse of black hair or green eyes he thought he had found him but to no avail.

Tony kept tabs on the bar he had first seen Harry in the hope that Harry would turn up again. 

After nearly a month of no shows he finally had success. A beep from his phone had him immediately leaving the room ignoring the other board members pitching their idea to him and not offering an excuse for his abrupt departure.

Tony entered the bar going straight to his usual spot at the bar which coincidently was right next to Harry.

Harry raised an eyebrow and quirked his lips as he caught sight of Tony obviously recognizing him from the cafe but strangely not recognizing him as Tony Stark or as Iron Man.

“Hello again.” Harry murmured downing his drink and ordering another.

“Make that two.” Tony told the bartender and passing over the money paying for his and Harry’s drinks.

Harry saluted Tony with his drink in thanks and downed it.

“Kid, how you still standing? That stuff is strong.” The bartender commented to Harry. Harry bristled at the comment.

“Practice.” Harry responded icily. The bartender obviously caught his tone and moved away serving the other customers.

Tony continued to buy them both more of the shots, it probably wasn’t wise to drink so much but Tony never said he was wise. “You trying to get me drunk?” Harry grinned at Tony and Tony caught his breath at getting such an honest, pleasant expression from the man, okay maybe he was a little drunk but if it got him that smile again he wouldn’t mind spending the rest of his life in an alcoholic daze.

Harry, Tony thought dazedly later, was like a shard of glass: brittle but strong, beautiful but with sharp jagged edges you accidently got caught on constantly and completely unobtainable, his own master. Tony was maybe a little prone to metaphors and rambling when drunk but only a little, promise...

Tony was complete putty in Harry’s hands after his few drinks; he didn’t even think he had the strength to stand.

It was in this alcoholic daze that Tony briefly thought running in the opposite direction to Harry would be a wise decision, but as already mentioned, Tony wasn’t wise.

It was Harry, deceptively slender but strong Harry, who helped him to his feet and into Tony’s car parked outside in the no parking zone. If Tony was sober he would probably have asked how Harry knew it was his car but he was drunk so didn’t. Harry was remarkably coherent, cognizant and graceful for having drunk double the amount Tony had.

He followed as Tony drunkenly tugged him towards his room after Happy had driven him home. Harry didn’t seem to mind being tugged along which Tony thanked his stars for; he didn’t want Harry to leave...or a bloody nose.

Although Tony could later on only remember snippets of the rest of the night he got the impression that Harry had eaten him, in the fun sense. 

He could remember flashes of Harry riding him unable to look away from the brittle expressions that clouded Harry’s face beautifully, flashes of the remarkable way Harry could bend in every direction and best of all flashes of the absolute pleasure. And though it had been his dick penetrating Tony couldn’t help but feel completely ravished and completely not in control.

Tony dearly wished he hadn’t drunk so much and so could remember in more detail.

 

xxx

 

Tony woke up in the bed with a God awful headache, he was never drinking that much again Tony vowed forgetting the previous times he had had the same sentiment.

Surprisingly it wasn’t that late in the morning, only about eight or so, also surprisingly the bed was empty and Tony would have thought the last night a dream apart from the fact there was evidence in the scattered cushions, rumpled bed sheets and he felt like he had had a sex marathon. Also there was an odd looking drink on his bed side table with a note to down it in one; apparently it was a home remedy for hangovers. The note was written in a vaguely familiar scrawling loopy script.

Tony downed the drink nearly spitting it out again as he caught the taste, it was foul! But nearly instantaneously his headache lessened. Which was good because Pepper entered his room and drew the curtains so light could flood in. Tony stared at the now empty glass. Whatever was in there was not a simple home remedy.

It worked far too quickly and efficiently.

“You have a meeting in an hour Tony.” Pepper informed him. Tony nodded absently before he suddenly realized something, his bed was empty apart from him and the note and drink must have been left by Harry as well, it was the same writing as the note that said ‘I Quit’.

“Where’s Harry?” Tony asked confused, he normally left his bed partners in bed, they didn’t usually leave him.

Pepper raised an eyebrow her hair just as neat as always and her clothes just as smart. “Harry left about seven this morning.” Pepper stated with a smile. Tony eyed her.

“Do you know Harry?” Tony asked a little piqued but then his expression turned hopeful as it meant he might be able to get in touch again if Pepper knew his enigmatic Harry. His hopes were dashed as Pepper shook her head.

“I’ve met him twice now but we had a nice conversation before he left, he was pleasant.” Pepper commented shooing Tony into the shower to get ready.

 

xxx

 

Tony looked at the pictures of Harry he had when Harry entered his house but each and every one of them was blurred around Harry, there was something fishy about that. Tony got JARVIS looking for a ‘Harry’ with black hair, green eyes, an unusual scar on his head that Tony couldn’t quite remember properly, which again was odd, in England in his early twenties or around there.

Tony found absolutely nothing throughout the day, he looked on his phone through the meeting he was supposed to listen to and still nada. It was only later that evening that he struck gold or Harry.

Tony hadn’t realized so many Harry’s lived in the U.K.

Tony pulled up a photo of a small, scrawny child with messy black hair, a lightning bolt scar on his forehead and bright green eyes covered with round framed glasses. It was from an old school record and it looked about right apart from the timing.

Harry now looked in his early twenties but this photo was from 1989, when the Harry in the picture was nine but that would mean that if it was the same Harry then Harry was nearly thirty not just into his twenties like assumed. Laser eye surgery could explain the lack of glasses.

Tony didn’t quite know what could explain the fuzziness of every picture with Harry in it now, nor his own recollections. He would never normally forget about the shape of a scar like that on Harry’s forehead but he had and still couldn’t quite picture it. So Tony hacked S.H.I.E.L.D, again.

Harry did remind him of Natasha Romanov so he could be part of S.H.I.E.L.D. Tony eventually found a file on a ‘Harry James Potter’ but it was woefully lacking in details.

It was completely blank, Tony couldn’t understand how the file and there was a file, a large file in fact, was full of just empty white pages. It was another question to the bundle Tony already had about Harry.

Tony sighed and decided to leave it. He was done with Harry.

That night when Tony fell asleep it was envisioning Harry’s silhouette, only his bright green eyes illuminated.

 

xxx

 

Tony’s resolution to leave all Harry things alone faltered when he caught sight of him just four days later.

Harry in his odd slinking grace, serpentine Tony thought absently, was sneaking round a street but in an unobtrusive way that didn’t draw unwanted attention but Tony used to agents from S.H.I.E.L.D (cough Natasha cough) and himself knew that Harry was up to something. He applauded Harry’s performance though, the innocent face was convincing.

Tony discretely followed as Harry wandered down to another street then turned down into a side alley that Tony didn’t think led anywhere but he could be wrong.

Tony turned down the dank alley way cautiously looking for a glimpse of the figure he had been following. Sudden movement caught his attention and before he could turn he felt something at his throat and an arm restraining his movements. Tony stayed still; he was less good at fighting without his Iron Man suit. The pointy thing that Tony assumed was an odd knife was pressed deeper into his throat and a voice hissed in his ear.

Despite the situation Tony relished in the warm breath ghosting by his ear as he recognized the man holding him and the voice.

“Why are you following me?” Harry hissed angrily, he needed to complete his job!

Tony grinned unseen as Harry was behind him and was clever enough to hold his arms behind him as well otherwise Tony would have been able to escape, he was tricky like that. 

“Well when you are as gorgeous as you are you can hardly blame me for following. Dinner tonight at seven?” Tony asked smirk on his face. The arms tightened before letting go of him completely an annoyed hiss coming from clenched teeth.

“Tony?!” Harry exclaimed irritated.

“Well?” Tony asked turning around infuriating smirk on his face.

“Well what?” Harry hissed out checking his watch and nearly cursing Tony. Harry took a calming breath and stepped away from the infuriating man.

“Dinner? With me tonight?” Tony asked slowly as if Harry was being slow on purpose.

Harry ignored him and continued on his way. He only had approximately ten minutes to complete his job and that was cutting it very fine. Harry was a man for hire; he could be an assassin, recover goods or locate information all for a price. He was rather particular with choosing clients however and he always researched the order, he wasn’t going to be killing innocents or endangering them.

Harry was on a job where he was recovering a stolen artifact. It had been stolen by one of the crime lords that plagued New York and Harry had quickly dealt with the man, he had no qualms assassinating drug dealers, serial killers or crime lords, but recovering the pendant was proving to be harder.

His client had implicitly stated that it had to be returned without giving a reason, once Harry saw a photo of it however no questions were needed. It was a magical artifact and was now in Muggle hands, not very strong magically but it had all the pretty expensive stones people coveted and made it worthwhile to steal. It was also classed as ‘Dark’ so his client couldn’t have the law enforcement finding it first (especially as a family crest was embedded on the back of it...).

The person the Crime lord had sold it to was nothing special, a rich man and without a very clear conscience but not bad enough for Harry to do anything, plus he had a family. So Harry was hoping just too simply recover the ornament without any fuss or bother. Tony brought both with him.

Much to Harry’s annoyance it seemed Tony was following him. “If I say yes will you leave me alone now?” Harry asked without much hope.

Tony grinned, that was a definite yes and no way was he letting Harry slip out his grasp this time. Harry eyed the expression on Tony’s face without comment before sighing in defeat, he had no time to argue and he couldn’t just stun Tony and leave him, it was too busy a street. Plus he was leery of how magic would affect the glowing-thingy in Tony’s chest.

“Fine. If you’re coming stay silent and don’t say anything until we get out.” Harry hissed fiddling with his wand before casting disillusionment charms over him and Tony. His client had requested little to no magic used in the operation, it seemed magical traces were checked on this particular family regularly for their ties to the Muggle President. Disillusionment charms cast over Harry and Tony however were too low a trace to catch but anything more powerful closer to the house cast would be detected.

Tony gaped at where his and Harry’s bodies had been easily seen before but before he could speak Harry plastered a hand over his mouth and shushed him before turning away leading Tony by the hand as his disillusionment charms were very effective.

Harry efficiently and swiftly entered the back door manually unwiring one of the burglar alarms but cursing when he saw the inbuilt defense mechanism to alert the police. Disillusionment charms didn’t hide heat signature. Right, they had even less time know the police where coming. 

Having staked out the house before Harry made his way to the safe ‘cleverly’ hidden behind a bookcase. Anyone could tell if they just looked at the indentations on the carpet! But Harry supposed not everyone was used to the tells of crime and hiding things. Tony, thankfully, remained silent as Harry methodically lock picked the safe and stuck an arm through grabbing onto the sparkling ornament.

Harry carefully placed the item into the wizard space hatch in the buckle of his belt, an ingenious idea if Harry said so himself, much easier to hide than a beaded bag.

Harry swiftly shut the safe and moved the bookcase back into place. Grabbing Tony’s lax hand Harry made his way out of the house cursing at every sound Tony made, Tony was obviously not used to espionage. They got to the back door just as the police pulled up. Harry glared at Tony who couldn’t see it because of the disillusionment charm.

When the police kicked the back door open Harry timed their escape, moving out just after the police swarmed in. Years of using an invisibility cloak enabling him to avoid any collisions, Tony however, not used to sneaking accidently tripped on the last cops foot. Harry withheld a sigh; thankfully they still couldn’t be seen.

Still the cop, a seemingly intuitive middle aged woman, called a chase and Harry and Tony ran to avoid being run over by the on foot police.

Tony watched in rising astonishment at the ease with which Harry broke into the house and safe. It was obvious Harry was used to doing things like this as evidenced by the smooth way he had opened the safe and don’t even mention how he had managed to slip the jewel encrusted item into the tiny space in his belt buckle. And what was that weird thing he did that felt like an egg being cracked on his head but that made them really hard to see?

Tony hadn’t meant to tread on the woman’s foot and it was just his luck that she didn’t dismiss it as nothing. Their forms could be made out by someone looking carefully so they had had to run. Tony vowed to do more running, he was hard pressed to keep up with Harry and Harry didn’t even seem that puffed.

Finally Harry stopped them in an alley way and opened a door Tony hadn’t noticed was there until Harry drew attention to it. Harry bade Tony enter then did something that seemed to do the opposite of earlier, the egg came off and Tony was visible again. 

What the Fuck?!

A perfectly visible Harry led Tony into what Tony assumed was an apartment, hidden well. 

Harry ordered Tony to sit on the sofa in the first room they entered, a nice lounge with lots of comfy sofas, a small bookcase and a TV tucked away into the corner. Tony eyed the, expensively furnished, room with interest as Harry rooted around a stack of books in a big box.

With a small exclamation of triumph Harry withdrew a massive tome covered in dust. Harry blew away the dust then sneezed at the amount floating around his head. Tony tried not laugh at Harry’s expression.

Harry turned to the book flicking through the pages swiftly biting his lip in the way Tony both cursed and loved until he came to near the end and examined the pictures.

“Aha!” Harry exclaimed pulling the ornament he had stolen from the house out of his belt buckle, Tony gaped, again, because...there really wasn’t enough room for that there!

Harry compared the back of the item to the page a small smirk flitting across his sharp features, slanted eyes gleaming in satisfaction. Tony just wanted to kiss him but questions came first. Tony turned to Harry expectantly.

“Explain.” Tony ordered succinctly. Harry bristled at the order and Tony nearly took his word back only he was too dam curious.

Harry eyed Tony speculatively. He could memory charm Tony but the man was a genius and could easily hack CCTV to find himself, Harry would come out blurred but Tony wouldn’t. He could tamper with the memory but while his memory charms were good, he didn’t want to end up like Lockhart after all, his memory tampers were awful.

“Tony, do you believe in magic?”

 

xxx

 

Tony sat stunned on the couch words repeating round his head. Wizards and Witches, Hogwarts, Magical Community, Hidden from the Muggles. Apparently the top people involved with S.H.I.E.L.D (Nick Fury) knew about the wizarding community but was under an odd oath and couldn’t reveal sensitive information to those who didn’t already know and that was why the files had been blank on Harry, only a certain magical beings or Muggles could read it. It also explained the hang over cure, a potion and the always pixilated pictures of Harry.

Tony looked at his watch, it was nearly seven.

“So dinner?” Tony asked standing assuming Harry was coming. Harry stared at him completely blindsided before he started laughing. Tony cocked a brow in question. Harry shook his head.

“I just told (and showed) you proof of another community of magic wielders and you still want to ask me to dinner?!” Harry gasped out.

Tony looked down at Harry admiring the light flush over his cheekbones and the glad expression over a usually stern or closed features. Harry was absolutely irresistible.

“Sure.” Harry nodded and followed Tony out of the apartment (that like the belt buckle was bigger on the inside than out) and to a restaurant.

Harry came home with Tony that night much to Happy’s surprise, usually one night stands with Tony were that, one night only.

 

xxx

 

Conversation over dinner had flowed nearly as fluidly as Harry moved and unlike the last time Tony was sober when they went to bed and thus remembered perfectly. Much to his satisfaction.

“Amazing. You’re trying to give me a heart attack.” Tony panted completely spent Harry flopped on his chest, Tony still inside of Harry. Harry grinned gently dislodging himself matching Tony’s wince when Tony’s softened member slipped out of Harry.

Harry disappeared to the bathroom quickly before returning walking round completely unabashed at his nakedness. Tony leered from the bed grinning when Harry’s smooth glide turned into more of a saunter that was definitely for Tony’s benefit. 

Maybe he wasn’t completely spent after all.

 

xxx

 

In the morning much to Tony’s surprise and pleasure Harry was still there, still wrapped up in Tony’s arms and still asleep. Pepper walked in just as Tony was debating starting something new or carefully leaving the bed.

Pepper raised her eyebrow obviously shocked at seeing Harry...again. Harry stirred sensing Pepper’s entrance. Harry frowned as he opened his eyes not quite sure where he was...ah! Tony’s. Harry returned Tony’s smile sleepily and carefully stood up ignoring the slight pull of muscles and the soreness. “Mind if I take a shower?” Harry asked already heading to the bathroom uncaring of his nudity around Pepper or Tony. His serpentine grace was even more evident with the absence of clothes.

Pepper used to Tony’s shamelessness didn’t bat an eyelid and just turned to her boss who was drooling after Harry.

“You certainly picked a looker.” Pepper drawled snapping Tony out of his daze. Tony blinked and stared a Pepper.

“Who are you and what have you done with Pepper?” Tony asked straight faced. Pepper rolled her eyes.

 

xxx

 

Harry disappeared before breakfast but Tony managed to wrangle a phone number from him.

Harry met up with his client, the trinket in his belt buckle. Harry nearly smirked; he knew exactly who his client was thanks to the family crest on the item. Although many families had married Blacks, few had actual black family crest items as part of their dowry. When sorting through the Black accounts Sirius had left him Harry had had to read through the disordered documents and so knew of the three families the item could belong to then narrowed it down from there.

Harry withheld grin as the tall figure stepped into view. It was the walk that proved Harry’s suspicions. Only two people Harry knew walked in that particular manner.

“Good evening to you Draco Malfoy.” Harry greeted hood over his face. He noticed the tightening of Draco’s hands as his identity was ‘uncovered’. 

“How did you know who I was?” Draco asked imperiously, the image was only ruined by the tenseness of his voice and arms. Harry threw back his hood and grinned.

“I never forget a classmate.” Harry grinned widely. Draco’s eyes widened in shock before narrowing.

“Potter.”

“The one and only.” Harry sketched a bow.

“Anyway I have your little trinket.” Harry said without ceremony before handing over a black pouch and receiving one in turn after Draco had verified the contents. Harry turned to leave but Draco’s voice stopped him.

“What gave me away?” Draco asked curiously. His disguise was good, polyjuice was hard to obtain but when you could personally brew it...and he wasn’t wearing his usual high end clothing.

“The crest. I own the Black house and the documents on dowries. But mainly, you have a very distinctive walk, just like your fathers.” Harry called back as he strode away tossing the bag up and down and catching it again casually.

 

xxx

 

Tony didn’t hear from Harry until three days later when Harry appeared at his house (Stark Tower). Tony was surprised, but pleased, to see Harry, he thought he would have to hunt him down to meet him or bump into him again.

In fact Tony wouldn’t have been surprised if he had never seen Harry again.

Harry dragged Tony out to a shady club to begin with, despite its shady origins the club was good and the alcohol served there superb.

It was as they were walking out that Harry and Tony walked right into a gunfight. Harry subdued most of the offenders while Tony took down two, he had been distracted by Harry strangling one man with his hands while using his legs to strangle another, it was a scary erotic sight and Tony had paid for his moment of distraction with a fist to his face, it wasn’t enough to knock him out and thankfully missed his nose but it would leave one hell of a bruise.

When the police sirens began to wail, called by the gunshots, Harry and Tony legged it giggling all along like school children. Tony laughed when he noticed Harry tucking the guns he had nicked from the gang into his belt buckle, Harry grinned no sign of consternation at all.

And that set the tone for the rest of their...dates. 

Tony would have thought Harry was organising it in some way apart from the fact Tony had organised a few and had surprised Harry when he hacked into Harry’s phone and managed to locate him a few times.

 

xxx

 

Not long after the first...date..., gun fight and subsequent run from the police and after a long evening of pure pulse raising sex as they lay blissed out and drowsy on the stairs having used all the other surfaces, Harry voiced an uncertain question.

“So, are we dating?” Harry asked Tony, catching Tony’s surprise because Harry didn’t normally ask; he assumed when it was obvious or heavily hinted or just did what the hell he wanted. Tony thought over the question. 

Tony didn’t date. He had numerous one night stands and occasionally a girl on his arm accompanying him to various functions (usually Pepper, which is where rumours of them secretly dating started). But Tony hadn’t actually dated anyone in his life (he didn’t count three days of sex as dating).

“I suppose we are.” Tony mused a little stunned by the realisation but then Harry frequently stunned him. 

In a world where Tony was the shocker Harry shocked him in turn. It exhilarated Tony while it worried him. The thrill of danger, the adrenaline that attracted him to being Iron Man was also along the same lines that attracted him to Harry and he wondered, feared, about years ahead of now, when he was older, would he still want the rush of danger? Would he still want the exhilaration? But Tony lived in the now not in what might happen when he was older, still the thought nagged. 

Harry was a sharp edge but when you were old didn’t you seek comfort? Stability in a world advancing without you?

“Hmmm, I’ve never dated before.” Harry said contemplatively, shaking Tony out of his thoughts. Tony huffed a chuckle.

“Neither have I.”

 

xxx

 

“I don’t appreciate being stalked!” Harry shouted practically vibrating, visibly exuding rage.

“I wasn’t stalking you! I was just wondering if you wanted lunch!” Tony shouted back not known for keeping his temper when others lost theirs.

“So how did you know where I was?!” Harry said cool and controlled eyes still spitting unholy rage.

“...” Tony stayed silent; he had tracked Harry by hacking Harry’s phone. But how else was he supposed to get in contact or invite Harry for a meal or surprise him? It wasn’t as if Harry ever stayed in one place or gave Tony a way of contacting him...oh wait the mobile. But Harry hardly ever picked up phone calls or responded to texts. Looking at Harry’s eyes Tony lost his track of thought, if Natasha was a viper Harry was a spitting cobra. Snakes were just muscle after all and Harry moved bonelessly.

“I gave you a number to a mobile I hardly use and only holds your fucking number! I go through the trouble of buying a new phone every month when mine packs up just so you can contact me not so I can be stalked!” Harry nearly hissed voice almost as venomous as the glaring spitting green eyes.

“If you responded more often I might have used it instead Harry James Potter!” Tony responded face flushed with anger.

Harry stepped right into Tony’s personal space, Tony could feel every puff of breath against his chin but he stood his ground and glowered into angry eyes.

“Stop changing the subject! I hate it when you stalk me!...And how on earth did you know my middle name!” Harry was cut off as lips crashed onto his and furiously duelled his own. Harry gripped Tony’s shoulders tighter than usual, angrily while Tony grabbed Harry’s arse moulding their crotches together harshly rutting. Harry leapt up legs round Tony’s waist tightly, hands clutching Tony’s cheeks and tugging at his hair as he (figuratively) tried to suck Tony’s soul out of his mouth.

Tony didn’t bother to stop and thank his stars that they had taken their argument to an empty alley way before he fumbled around trying to undo both his and Harry’s trousers and pants. Harry helpfully undid Tony’s belt buckle and harshly yanked the jeans down, just enough that he could free Tony’s cock from the slit in his boxers. Tony had managed to drag Harry’s trousers and boxers down while Harry had been freeing him so Harry jumped back up and Tony turned around almost slamming Harry’s back against the brick wall of the alley.

Harry spat on his hand too enraged, too blinded with lust to remember the lube summoning charm he had mastered years ago. 

Reattaching his mouth to Tony’s Harry harshly bit down on Tony’s lip breaking through skin and tasting blood. Tony gripped Harry’s hair in one hand attempting to guide his head while the other snaked back to where Harry was fingering himself with his own saliva, preparing himself swiftly. Harry groaned as Tony’s larger blunt fingers joined his own in a mixture of pleasured pain.

Without verbal tactic consent both Harry and Tony gentled their attack of each others bodies and Harry slowed down his brutal preparation. Too soon Harry pulled his and Tony’s fingers out and reared up before slamming down far too swiftly over Tony’s weeping erection.

Tony’s head flipped back slamming into the wall he now had his back against. Harry was unbearable tensed speared by Tony’s cock without enough prep or slick, back arched, teeth gritted, tendons in his neck standing out, hands clenched and legs cutting off circulation to Tony’s body below the waist. Tony managed to crack open his eyes and the sight of Harry strung so tightly, every muscle tensed caught at something inside his chest.

Harry was so brittle-y strong, so cagily edgy, so (almost) animalistic that this expression, one that included his entire body, was so at home on Harry’s sharp, slanted features it made Tony catch his breath with an unnamed emotion that spoke of loss and hardship and told Tony he should clasp onto it while he could and remember fondly when he couldn’t. Predators couldn’t stay caged forever, after all. They were so much more impressive and beautiful in their natural habitat.

Tony’s thoughts had only taken the second Harry gave himself in respite before he was moving jerking Tony back to reality with a surge of motion. Harry set the pace punishingly fast, brutally swift and Tony was taken along for the ride.

He kept his thoughts and revelations to himself and simply drew Harry’s head down for a kiss, soft, despite the harsher movements below. Tony wondered why, and how, it could feel so indescribably good yet be so poignant, hurt so bad. He was winning and losing, saving and killing, loving and hating and he didn’t know how to stop.

When they were done, Tony still dazed by the lost/soft expression Harry gave when submitting to the throes of an exceptionally powerful orgasm, Harry buttoned and zipped them both up, sent a small smile Tony’s way and disappeared from Tony’s life for three weeks. 

Tony got the message and didn’t track him down using his phone or hack S.H.I.E.L.D for information on him again.

 

xxx

 

Despite the hiccups (and it was Tony Stark and Harry Potter, there were lots of bumps on their road) Tony had never felt so alive and he relished the feeling sure it would disappear when he least expected it to. 

So one night, after a bottle of champagne, Tony proposed. He refused to go one bended knee and look like a sap but he had the ring and everything.

Harry after a small hesitation accepted the ring and they celebrated with (you guessed it) wonderful sex. Tony ignored the frown that pulled Harry’s features after he had accepted and Harry ignored Tony’s drowning expression.

The next morning while Tony was still asleep Harry gave Pepper a cup of strong coffee and made her sit down and relax for a moment.

“He doesn’t deserve you, you know.” Harry stated casually his intense look belying his words as he stared at Pepper. Pepper flinched but shook her head Harry cut her off before she could speak. “He doesn’t, he’s an arse and he constantly infuriates you and ignores you.” Harry commented as easily as if he was talking about the weather.

“I don’t know what you mean but Tony is just my boss and as long as he pays for my shoes he can do what he wants.” Pepper stated surely. Green eyes speared her and she had the uncomfortable feeling, it was as if the green eyes were x-raying her.

“I’m killing him, Pepper, slowly drowning him in fire. And one day one of us will snap. I’m glad he’ll have you to pick up the pieces. You’ll be comfortable together; you have enough life grounded to reality to more than satisfy Tony better than I ever could.” Harry stated candidly. Pepper blinked nearly wincing at the shadowed eyes that met hers. Pepper opened her mouth and shut it again, she repeated this but Harry was already leaving the room as if the conversation had never happened. He paused as he got to the door and stared at the ring adorning his finger.

“It will be soon, you know.” Harry said softly before slipping away with his serpentine sliding grace. Pepper swallowed the lump in her throat, the bare emotion that Harry had stared at his engagement ring had completely stumped her, she was speechless.

And what did Harry mean? Tony and Harry were so happy together, they fought a lot and both lived dangerously but they quite obviously were besotted with one another...and yet... There was something missing, some vital part that was needed in a relationship and the heartbreaking thing was both were aware of it but so unwilling to let what they had go, slide down the drain.

Pepper absently wiped a tear off her cheek and schooled her face as if nothing had happened. Behind her pretty face gears were turning at ferocious speed, only Harry caught her slight inattentiveness over the next week as she tried to puzzle over Harry’s words and he didn’t say a word.

 

xxx

 

Harry grinned sharing a glass of champagne with Tony as his newest project was set to go. Stark Tower now ran off clean energy and it was time to celebrate!

Just as Tony’s hands slid down the back of Harry’s tresses and Harry sunk to his knees and had undone Tony’s trousers and boxers a quiet composed cough interrupted. Harry gave a brittle laugh and stared at Phil Coulson while doing up Tony’s trouser buttons and zip and buttoning his unbuttoned shirt.

“Security breach.” Tony muttered.

Harry put their champagne away and grabbed his jacket. Tony pouted at him. “But I thought we were having a moment.” Tony whined.

“We were, now the moments over.” Harry replied looking at Phil expectantly.

Harry didn’t miss the confused glances sent his way from Phil as he told them that Fury requested them both to come and help recover the Tesseract and stop an evil madman. Obviously Phil didn’t know Harry was a wizard and Harry had no interest in informing him.

Harry and Tony shared a look it seemed they were being called to duty. 

Harry was just glad he didn’t have to do the same homework Tony did; he understood the basics but nothing on the level of Tony and Dr. Banner on science.

 

xxx

 

Stuttgart, Germany. 

Harry grimaced at Tony’s music, it was really loud, he could hear it from outside of the suit!

They were flying (Tony in his suit and Harry on his broom) to Loki’s position and Harry had used a charm to bug Tony so he could hear, the usual mini microphones and such always short circuited next to so much magic so Harry had to tap Tony’s and hope it worked.

Harry cast a super sensory charm and ahead he could vaguely see a man dressed in the American flag being beaten up by a dude wearing horns on his head.

“Agent Romanov, you miss me?” Tony said obnoxiously. Harry rolled his eyes; Tony had to make an impression. He had just hacked the helicopter that Natasha Romanov was piloting.

Harry waited back while Tony flew forward and shot Loki, the horn wearing man, in the chest with his arm rockets. Harry noted the lack of flying guts and blood with no surprise. Loki was a god, it would take more than that to take him down which is why Harry stayed back to figure a game plan.

“Make a move reindeer games.” Tony threatened arms outstretched ready to fire. Captain America picked up his shield and came to stand panting next to Tony. Harry watched incredulously as the armour and horn helmet Loki was wearing disappeared and he held his hands up in the universal sign of surrender.

It was way too easy; Harry thought waiting in the wings. Loki, obviously, had a plan or some way to escape or something.

“Good move.” Tony commented lowering his arms and putting away the rockets on his shoulders. Harry came forward a little still hesitant to come closer until all threats had been properly neutralised. Harry eyed the composed god, he wouldn’t trust Loki if he was knocked out. Loki was sneaky, more than the Weasley twins sneaky.

“Mr Stark.” Steve Rogers, Captain America, greeted the robot to his side.

“Captain.” Tony said succinctly back not taking his eyes off Loki.

As they piled into the helicopter thing Natasha Romanov was driving Harry avoided looking directly at Loki and stayed away from him keeping his magic tightly constrained, hidden. 

“Saying anything?” Nick Fury’s voice questioned over the radio to Natasha.

“Not a word.” Natasha replied sending a quick but composed glance to the silent god in the back.

“Just get him here. We’re low on time.” Nick Fury ordered. Tony eyed Harry and Loki curiously. Harry and Loki were having what appeared to be a staring contest, neither removing their eyes from the other. Harry looked blank but Loki looked slightly smug. Steve glanced confusedly from one to the other.

“I don’t like it.” Steve muttered to Tony glancing at Loki.

“What? Rocket agents giving up so easy?”

“I don’t remember it being that easy.” Steve commented keeping his eyes on Loki. Loki didn’t even deign to look at him keeping his gaze firmly on Harry. “This guy packs a wallop.” Steve continued.

“Still you were pretty spry, for an older fellow. What do you think Pilates?” Tony responded.

“What?”

“You might have missed a few things doing time as a capsicle.” 

“Fury didn’t tell me he was calling you in, or you.” Steve said turning to Harry. 

“There’s a lot Fury doesn’t tell you.” Tony responded.

Harry tuned out Tony’s and Steve’s conversation, focused entirely on Loki. There was something in the gods eye, a flickering of colours, blue and green at war.

Lightning flickered over head and thunder clashed, storm clouds brewing thickly. “Where is this coming from?” Natasha asked worriedly. The aircraft rocked and Loki took his gaze off of Harry looking unsettled.

“What’s the matter, scared of a little lightning?” Steve asked Loki’s rapidly paling features.

“I’m not overly fond of what follows.” Loki responded dryly turning his attention back to the lightning.

“Hmmm, I guess you wouldn’t be.” Harry commented idly also watching the light show. He did want to meet Thor, the dude seemed interesting. Tony and Steve exchanged confused glances.

“Harry? What’s coming?” Tony asked Harry curiously but a sudden thump from the top of the aircraft halted any reply Harry might have given.

“What are you doing?” Steve asked as Tony opened the door and stood next to Harry ready to leave the aircraft. A man with shoulder length blond hair and a muscled frame entered the aircraft expression intent. Tony got ready to stop him but the man just hit Tony in the chest with his hammer and grabbed Loki before leaving.

“Now there’s that guy.” Tony muttered.

“Another Asgardian?” Natasha asked from the front of the helicopter where she was attempting to drive it.

“Thor.” Harry stated confidently.

“Think he’s friendly?” Steve asked.

“Doesn’t matter. If he frees Loki or kills him the Tesseract is lost.” Tony said moving towards the still open hatch.

“Stark! We need a plan of attack.” Steve called pragmatically.

“I have a plan. Attack.” Tony retorted simply before jumping out of the helicopter. Harry rolled his eyes. The tracker he had placed on Loki had been taken off immediately (not that Harry expected any different from him) but it seemed Thor didn’t realise, or care, that Harry’s tracker had stuck to him.

Harry grinned sharply at Steve and followed his errant fiancé out of the vehicle.

Harry and Tony caught up to Thor and Loki and Harry only caught the tail end of their conversation as Thor held Loki at hammer point.

“Listen well brother...” Was all Thor managed to say before Tony slammed into him.

“I’m listening.” Loki responded to the empty air. Harry grinned and landed next to Loki, Tony would be okay, Thor was a good man-god-alien, he wouldn’t kill him.

Harry stood next to Loki ready to restrain him if he tried to escape while Thor and Tony fought it out. Harry rolled his eyes, why did Tony see the need to infuriate everyone but especially powerful people or gods?

Harry watched ready to help if Tony looked too much the worse for wear.

“Hey!” A voice called as Steve chucked his shield at both Tony and Thor halting them in their tracks. “That’s enough!” Steve shouted firmly.

“Now I don’t know what you are planning here.” Steve said calmly addressing the angry god.

“I’ve come here to put an end to Loki’s schemes.” Thor spat out.

“The prove it. Put that hammer down.” Steve ordered.

“Ah yeah no. Bad call, he loves it.” Tony interjected before Thor hit him backwards several feet with the aforementioned hammer.

“You want me to put the hammer down!” Thor yelled drawing back his arm and leaping into the air ready to strike. Thor slammed the hammer down onto Steve’s shield and resulting shockwaves sent both sprawling.

Harry who was making his way over with Loki winced at the clanging. Harry was glad he had placed another charm on Tony that let him see what was happening as well as hear because Thor and Tony’s fight had taken them way out of eyeshot. Loki also seemed to be enjoying the dramatics, a thin smirk adorning his lips.

The three men made their way to their feet slowly. Harry, now able to see them strode towards the crater Loki next to him.

“Are we done here?” Tony asked rhetorically. Harry snorted.

“We would be done a lot earlier if you had left your posturing at home.” Harry drawled sliding forward with his peculiar serpentine grace. 

“Hah! I knew you liked it really.” Tony retorted lifting up his visor. Harry raised an eyebrow.

“No I agree with Pepper, as long as you leave your posturing to the lab where we don’t have to witness it, it’s fine...” Steve, Thor and Loki looked a little confused as Tony and Harry proceeded to bicker good naturedly all the way back to the huge flying ship that Fury commanded.

Harry walked into the room studying the people in there. The speakers were on and Fury was talking to Loki, Harry didn’t get the ant and the boot comment but pop culture was often a loss for him.

Harry had met Nick Fury before but Fury had decided to scrap Harry for the AVENGERS Initiative because Harry wasn’t exactly a good guy hero type anymore- an assassin/thief/spy didn’t really hit the mark. Harry had seen Natasha Romanov, Natalie Rushman when she had worked for Tony, when she was assigned to follow him but he had only waved at her before completely disappearing off S.H.I.E.L.D s radar...again.

Tony had told him a little of Captain America, Steve Rogers, and his dads unrelenting search for him and Tony had also mentioned Bruce Banner, someone Tony had always been dying to meet.

They stayed in silence listening to the speakers and watching the cameras. 

“...It’s an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me.” Loki smirked looking directly at one of the cameras.

“Built for something a lot stronger than you.” Fury responded.

“Oh I’ve heard. A mindless beast, makes play he’s still a man. How desperate are you? You call on such lost creatures to defend you.” Harry noticed Dr. Banner tense with every word Loki spoke and he saw Natasha’s glance at Banner as Loki talked.

“How desperate am I!? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can’t hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill ‘cause its fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did.” Fury threatened.

“Oooh.” Loki breathed. “It burns you to have come so close, to have the Tesseract to have that power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share? And then to be reminded what real power is.”

“Well let me know what real power is in a magazine or something...” Fury smirked walking away.

The screen disappeared and the speakers stopped in the room were Harry, Thor, Natasha and Bruce were residing.

“He really grows on you doesn’t he.” Dr. Banner commented with a grin.

“Loki’s gonna drag this out.” Steve commented. “So, Thor, what’s his play?” 

Thor stood in the middle of the room, considering. “He has an army called the Chitauri. They’re not of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people, they will win him the earth and he will return I suspect for the Tesseract.”

“An army, from out of space.” Steve said slowly.

“So he’s building another portal. That’s what he needs Erik Selvig for.” Bruce deducted.

“Selvig?” Thor asked surprised recognition in his voice.

“He’s an astrophysicist.”

“He’s a friend.”

“Loki had him under some kind of spell along with one of ours.” Natasha swallowed.

“I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He’s not leading an army from here.” Steve changed the subject, suspicious of Loki’s motives.

“I don’t think we should be focusing on Loki. That guys brain is a bag full of cats, you can smell crazy on him.” Banner commented wanting to turn the discussion back to the science side of it.

“Have care how you speak, Loki is beyond reason but he is of Asgard and he is my brother.” Thor cautioned.

“He killed eighty people in two days.” Natasha stated with a raised eyebrow.

“He’s adopted.” Thor shrugged.

“He’s not crazy.” Harry said joining the discussion. Raised eyebrows met his comment. “He’s not himself but he isn’t crazy. Loki is full of tricks and sneakier than anyone but he isn’t being sneaky or sly now, he isn’t working behind the scenes unless we’ve missed something vital. He is being uncharacteristically bold in stating his intentions. He’s doing something.” Harry reasoned mind racing as he paced round the room eyes watching his fluid movements.

“I think it’s about the mechanics. Iridium, what do they need the iridium for?” Banner mused.

“It’s a stabilising agent.” Tony answered entering the room with Phil Coulson. “It means the portal won’t collapse on itself like it did with S.H.I.E.L.D.” Tony walked into the room over to Thor. “No hard feelings point break, you got a hard swing.” Tony said patting Thor’s arm much to Thor’s confusion. “Also means the portal can open as wide and stay open as long as...” Tony continued on fiddling with the machines and accusing a man of playing a game instead of working.

“...Am I the only one of you who did the reading?”

“Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?” Steve interjected. Harry watched Tony and Banner bat forth science with uncomprehending eyes, Harry had only done science classes until age eleven and while he had caught up a little on a couple of other subjects (he did read up on psychology, it was useful in his job and sociology fit in too) he was clueless about what Tony and Banner were saying.

“...Finally someone who speaks English!” Tony exclaimed.

“Is that what just happened?” Steve dryly commented. Harry snorted.

“I have no clue what so ever, I only went to normal school till I was eleven and my school after that didn’t offer science. I fail even more at pop culture.” Harry whispered back taking a seat next to Steve.

“It’s good to meet you Dr. Banner.” Tony said shaking Banner’s hand. “Your work on anti-electronic collisions is unparalleled. And I’m a huge fan of the way you turn into a huge green rage monster.” 

“Thanks.” Bruce said looking slightly strained.

“Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him.” Fury said entering the room.

“I’d start with that stick of his, it may be magical but it works an awful lot like a Hydra weapon.” Steve suggested.

“I don’t know about that but it is powered by the cube. And I’d like to know how Loki managed to use it to turn two of my best agents into his personal flying monkeys.”

“Monkeys? I don’t understand.” Thor said Harry matched his frown.

“I do!” Steve said excitedly. Fury sighed and turned to Harry.

“I thought I was scrapped for the AVENGERS Initiative, apparently as a criminal or ‘running outside of the law’ (not much different to what you do) I don’t fit the quota. So why did you ask me to come here?” Harry asked bluntly not taking his eyes of Fury.

“Despite your...choice of employment...your skill set is nearly unparalleled and you have previous experience with the sort of person we are attempting to capture.” Fury stated dryly and annoyed frown on his face.

“’Choice of employment’ huh, that is a neat name for dabbling in assassinations, thievery and espionage.” Harry muttered loud enough that Fury twitched, Dr. Banner snorted, Natasha Romanov smirked her lips barely twisted, Steve Rogers gaped and Tony laughed. Harry’s slanted eyes narrowed as the rest of Fury’s sentence registered in his brain.

“I was hoping you would examine the sceptre; after all magic is your speciality.” Harry grimaced at the poorly veiled command.

“Loki has many of the same characteristics the people of your hidden community does.” Fury replied enigmatically, unable to really say wizarding community because of the oath.

“An overinflated sense of self? Unparalleled arrogance? Maybe a dire case of stick your head in the sand? Be a little more specific, Fury.” Harry said voice soft and soothing green eyes glittering with malicious glee. Fury gritted his teeth.

“I don’t have time for your games, Potter.” Fury snapped. Harry raised one eyebrow coolly.

“Actually I think you will find I don’t have to be here at all. I only came because of curiosity; I could simply disappear and not help at all.” Harry said idly.

Fury smirked. “Then why are you still here?” 

Unwittingly Harry’s eyes briefly flickered to Tony then to the ring on his finger. Fury smirked. “I see. Congratulations by the way.” Fury said slightly smugly turning away from Harry. Harry cursed himself for giving such an obvious tell away to the ‘spymaster’.

“I’m not sure examining it will tell us much.” Harry commented to Fury’s back, Fury shrugged.

“It’s better than nothing.”

 

xxx

 

Harry dozed on one of the science lad desks not listening to Tony and Bruce’s conversation only catching little things like when Tony asked Bruce to come stay and play in the labs at Stark Tower some time.

“Is everything a joke to you?!” Harry jerked off his desk as Steve’s annoyed voice broke through his daze.

“Funny things are.” Came Tony’s sarcastic reply. Harry snorted, Tony made light of everything or was overly dramatic, it was part of his dubious charm. Harry ignored the argument starting, Tony annoyed most people.

“...Captain he’s a spy, a master spy. His secrets have secrets.” Tony was saying as he opened a packet of blueberries. Harry reached over and nabbed one.

“Hey! Us spies aren’t that bad.” Harry defended chucking the blueberry into the air and catching it in his mouth.

“Show off.” Tony muttered. “And honey, your secrets have secret families and secret pets.” 

Harry just snatched another blueberry ignoring Tony’s attempts to keep them away.

“I tell you the important stuff.” Harry grumbled slinking over to one of the screens and tapping it experimentally, backing away when it fizzled slightly and the numbers and words twitched. Tony sighed and corrected whatever Harry had done; his magic hadn’t completely blown the machine. Harry grinned unrepentantly and slunk away to the room he had been given.

 

xxx

 

While the Avengers and Fury were arguing in the lab Harry was chatting with Loki. Harry had managed to follow Natasha down hidden from sight, smell and sound using his invisibility cloak and numerous spells. Even with these precautions Natasha seemed to sense someone was there, luckily she chalked it up to concern over Clint and slight nervousness.

Harry stepped out from under his cloak and removed the spells after Natasha had left. 

“Cooperation? That doesn’t sound like Loki silver tongue.” Harry idly commented stepping up to the glass container. Loki grimaced.

“She was good at her act, deception comes naturally to her.” Loki commended Natasha.

“The thing is I don’t think she was acting. I think she was exaggerating the hold the emotions have on her and showing them far more clearly than she would normally but I believe the emotions were there.” 

Loki’s eyes followed Harry’s serpentine movements with relish. “So what did I do to gain the honour of an audience with The Master of Death? Harry Potter, Hela speaks of you.”

“What did I do to get the honour of a meeting with the trickster god? The one who both helps and hinders.” Harry parroted Loki’s words back with an exhilarated grin. Loki shot him an honest grin back; here was one person on the ship he would be pleased to see again.

A few minutes into their conversation, which both were reluctant to say they enjoyed, a sudden explosion rocked the huge airship-boat-flying thing. Harry startled and locked eyes with the smug looking god inches away from his face, only separated by the glass cage.

“What?” Harry managed to gasp out as he heard a reverberating roar before an agent only just in sight shot Harry with unerring aim right in the head. Harry collapsed near silently eyes wide with shock not breathing.

 

xxx

 

Harry blearily tried to open his eyes, his head was pounding blocking any cognitive thought from processing. Snippets of incomprehensible speech met his ears.

“...Are you never not going to fall for that...”

Choking gasps.

“...Move away please...”

Shots covering the sound of Harry breathing, breaths choking out of his chest, harsh breaths of life.

“...You like this? We started working on the prototype after you sent the destroyer. Even I don’t know what it does. You wanna find out?...”

Yells of agony.

“...No!...”

Heavy breathing.

“...You’re going to lose...”

“...Am I...”

“...It’s in your nature...”

“...Your heroes are scattered. Your floating fortress falls from the sky. Where is my disadvantage?” Harry opened his eyes to see blurry shapes, a man holding a staff? closing in on one lying on the ground.

“...I don’t think I...” A sudden blare of sound and agonising light that nearly made Harry close his eyes again hit the taller standing up figure sending him flying away.

“So that’s what it does.” Harry crawled over to the lying down figure his vision sharpening as he went.

He found Phil Coulson lying on the ground a dribble of blood dripping out of his mouth. Harry fumbled for his belt buckle pulling using the accio charm to bring out his store of potions. Harry snapped out the Elder wand using natural magic, death magic that surrounded the airship-boat-thing abundantly, to stop the tears and sort of stasis the edges of the wound and the wounded organs so no more internal bleeding could occur.

Ignoring Phil’s questions Harry forcibly fed Phil four different potions before spelling another three into the affected areas. Phil would ache horribly for a few weeks and possibly need an organ transplant later in life but he would live now.

Fury found them a few minutes later, Harry still pouring magic to the torn edges of the wound and empty vials surrounding them but both of them alive and...well not kicking, Phil looked like he had taken on a forest (and lost) and Harry was pale and shaking (dying took it out of you) but they were breathing at least.

Phil was taken away by the doctors but he gave Fury the key to his locker. 

Harry watched still trying to clear his aching head; being shot was no fun at all. And dying hurt like a bitch.

 

xxx

 

Seeing the determination on Clint, Natasha, Steve and Tony’s faces made Harry swallow the confession that Phil was still alive and kicking to the back of his throat.

They had fallen but when you fall you learn how to pick yourself up to stand taller than ever.

And Harry who had been in a war, just like Steve, knew exactly why this needed to happen for the Avengers initiative to work. It may take years but the guys fighting for the people and not themselves always won (or at least destroyed the bad guy/regime) because they had a purpose, like Phil had said they have conviction and would sacrifice themselves to see justice done.

Harry, a hired killer, a spy, an information broker and a thief, was not a hero like the others but he could not shake his utter faith in the whole of humanity. He hadn’t stood against Voldemort for his parents he had stood because of all the others that suffered, for his friends: Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, for the Weasleys and for the innocents like Colin Creevey. He had been ready to die so that they might live.

Reality had hit home and as Harry looked at the people standing next to him, ready to fight again, even though they were sporting bruises and cuts, he looked and found their burning determination and the same zeal that toppled governments, regimes and dictators awe inspiring.

Was this how the Boudicca felt as she and her family and other natives of Britain fought the might of Rome? It may not have succeeded straight away but she was still remembered today.

Harry looked at the brightness of the people’s around him convictions and grinned, the lump in his throat swallowed down. 

They might not win but they would dam well avenge the earth.

Harry’s bright grin turned bloodthirsty as they high jacked a helicopter-thingy heading for Stark tower.

 

xxx

 

Tony briefly closed his eyes as he guided the nuke to the portal. “Shall I call Mr. Potter?” JARVIS asked. Tony opened his eyes.

“No, call Pepper.” Tony directed. He loved Harry but Pepper was always there, was his rock.

 

xxx

 

Harry breathed in and out. He stared at the prone form of his fiancé. He didn’t even realise he was rushing forwards until he dropped to his knees next to Tony’s head.

The battle was a blur. Harry remembered snippets like getting swallowed by one of the giant worm like things so he could explode it from the inside, he remembered taking down a multitude of those odd alien things he didn’t remember getting hit or acquiring the many cuts that littered his form. 

But all it paled to the man lying on the ground next to him not waking up!

Harry barely jumped as the Hulk roared but a strangled gasp left his lips as Tony jerked to life.

“Please tell me nobody kissed me. Apart from Harry here, I wouldn’t mind him.” Was Tony’s first words as he left unconsciousness. 

“You idiot!” Harry exclaimed.

Harry felt wetness on his face and reached up a hand to check what was there. He was expecting blood from a cut or something but not a clear crystalline tear drop, he never cried. Tony noticed and his eyes widened.

“Don’t cry! I’m fine. Crying always makes people uneasy.” Tony rambled looking unnerved. Harry punched Tony’s shoulder hitting flesh and metal.

“I don’t cry.” Harry adamantly stated, and it was true he wasn’t crying it was only one tear.

“Hey we should go to the Shawarma joint. I don’t know what Shawarma is but we should definitely try it.” Harry just laughed.

 

xxx

 

They found Loki struggling to sit up at the top of Stark tower. Loki grinned up at them.

“If you don’t mind I’ll take that drink now.” Loki said to Tony. Harry went over to help the god stand up. “Master of Death.” Loki greeted.

“God of mischief.” Harry responded in kind. 

“Why do you surround yourself by mortals? Why do you protect them when you are godlike in your own right?” Loki asked honestly confused. Harry ignored him externally.

“Clint Barton, if you don’t mind, I would like to check your mind when we get to the aircraft-boat-thingy as well as Loki’s and Dr. Selvig and the other agents.” Harry commented as they made their way to the helicopter to take them to Fury.

Clint eyed Harry. “Why and how?” Clint asked, he already had one fucker messing his mind up he didn’t need another.

“Why, because there could be traces of the Tesseracts power remaining, twisting memories and thoughts. How, well I belong to a community that utilise magic, mind magic being one of the branches.” Harry explained absently gliding along.

“So are you an alien as well?” Steve asked confused. Harry gave a brittle laugh.

“No. Earth born and raised. Wizards and Witches have been around just as long as non-magical humans, we just like to keep hidden. Ever learnt about the witch hunts, the Salem witch trials?” Harry replied. Seeing Barton still looked mighty reluctant to let him near his head Harry attempted to reassure him.

“You can’t read minds, they’re not like books, so don’t worry about me reading your thoughts. I’ll just take a quick scan and get rid of any nasty Tesseract residue.” It didn’t seem to reassure Clint any.

Fury was all for Harry checking so Harry did. There wasn’t anything harmful in Clint’s mind just the warped memories from earlier. Loki’s mind however...

Harry sat next to Bruce and Tony at the table with the other Avengers, Fury, Agent Hill and Phil Coulson much to the others shock and pleasured surprise; they hadn’t known he was alive.

“I don’t think charging Loki with full responsibility is advisable.” Harry said bluntly ignoring Clint’s furious stare and the others confusion. “His thoughts were twisted by his fall and the...things...he landed with. They warped his perception and the cube did as well. Like with Selvig and Barton his thoughts were manipulated.” Harry explained.

Thor looked hopeful that it wasn’t his brother causing all the damage intentionally.

“I’m not saying he isn’t capable of doing those things but like with Selvig he created the opportunity for his failure. Selvig created a self destruct button for the Tesseract which is how Natasha was able to close the portal and Loki did the same. He gave us all so many hints, so many clues it would have been impossible for any of his plans to fully work.” Harry stated surely.

Fury looked contemplative.

“Why did he call you Master of Death?” Bruce asked curiously. Harry stiffened and paled sharp cheekbones tense and eyes narrowed.

“Because it is my title, my status. It is who I am.” Harry replied in a monotone. No one decided to push for more.

“Shawarma?” Tony asked.

 

xxx

 

After they had finished their meal and they just aimlessly sat in their chairs too exhausted and fatigued to move. Tony though was twitching; looking at Harry and then away again finally he cracked.

“Harry, can I speak to you?” Tony asked strained. Harry raised an eyebrow and rose from his seat making his way to the other side of the room with his singular sinuous grace.

Tony followed reluctantly. The rest of the Avengers pretended they weren’t trying to spy on them.

They couldn’t hear what was said but they saw the tightening of both men’s shoulders and Harry’s lips nearly disappeared they were thinned so much. They didn’t need an explanation when they saw Harry and Tony slowly remove the rings from their wedding fingers and Harry gave his to Tony before walking back to the table his usual serpentine grace somehow emptier than normal.

As Tony sat down Harry spoke. “It would suit Pepper better.” Harry commented breezily eyes blank. There was no question as to what he meant. The emeralds gotten to match Harry’s eyes would look lovely against Pepper’s skin and hair colour. 

 

 

xxx

**Author's Note:**

> Sequel in writing but might be a while before I post it...
> 
> The sequel will definitely be Loki/Harry.


End file.
